Chr. Hansen Choose Former Arla CEO as Chairman

05/12/05 Chr. Hansen has chosen Jens Bigum, former CEO of Europe's largest dairy company ARLA, as Chairman of the Board.

"For us, it was important to get a Danish Chairman who knows the Danish rules of the game and who would be a strong partner for the management team. I see it as a huge advantage to have someone like Jens Bigum, who is deeply rooted in the Danish food industry, on the team."

The words come from Lars Frederiksen, President and CEO of Danish ingredients company Chr. Hansen, after Jens Bigum was elected new Chairman of Chr. Hansen at a Board meeting with its new owners, the private equity company PAI partners.

"Jens Bigum is the perfect Chairman of Chr. Hansen in the challenges we are facing with high demands on growth and profitability," Lars Frederiksen continues.

"With his massive knowledge and experience from the dairy and food industries, also globally, he will be able to support and strengthen us in the coming period. The fact that he is also Chairman of Denmark's second largest university, Aarhus University, is an additional advantage, which will reinforce Chr. Hansen's traditional ties to the university and research environment in Denmark and the rest of the world," concludes a highly satisfied Lars Frederiksen.

Jens Bigum (67) has worked in the field of foods since he graduated in agriculture from The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural  University of Denmark in 1965. He has worked in Oxexport, Mejeriselskabet Danmark (the Dairy Company Denmark) and MD Foods, where he was appointed CEO in 1992. When merging with Swedish ARLA in 2000, Europe's largest dairy company, ARLA Foods, was established, and Jens Bigum headed up this business until January 2004 when he resigned after 33 years in the company.

Jens Bigum already serves on several Boards, e.g. as Chairman of the Board of Carlsberg Breweries A/S, Arla Foods International A/S and Toms A/S.

"I am happy to accept the task as Chairman of Chr. Hansen," says Jens Bigum. "I have known Chr. Hansen for many years and always found it an exciting company with a large potential, which is clearly demonstrated by the past years' expansion in Eastern Europe, the Far East and South America. Now we are at the threshold of a new phase where importance will be attached to further growth, both organically and via acquisitions. In the further development, importance will also be attached to a meticulous focus on selected areas for the company. What I expect to contribute is a thorough knowledge of how Chr. Hansen’s customers think, and of course my experience from running a large international company," says the new Chairman.

With Jens Bigum's appointment, yet another piece of the jigsaw puzzle of Chr. Hansen's management in the new ownership structure and organization has fallen into place. Already, Carsten Hellmann and Jesper Allentoft have been named Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Vice President of Human Resources respectively, and the last open positions are expected to be filled in the beginning of the new year.